Suicide Squad
by TheLonelyMan
Summary: Recently, I saw Suicide Squad in theaters. I've seen plenty of bad reviews and decided to answer them in the best way possible: by creating my own version of the movie that corrects some of the flaws. Please enjoy and comment.
1. The Discovery

The night sky fell upon London like a black sheet, the light of the stars shining through the windows of the Sivana Institute for Cultural Studies. In a dark office, behind a door labeled PROFESSOR PAUL GREENMORE, sat a young man of about 23 in a bow tie and dress jacket. He was filling in a few reports when the cell by his left hand rang.

Without missing a beat, he dropped his pen and took the call. "Dr. Moone, I presume?"

On the other end was Dr. June Moone, Greenmore's apprentice and a brilliant young woman, who, rather than spend her time writing up theories and sharpening pencils, had set out on a solo expedition to make the discovery that would surely launch her career.

Even now, she still had the voice of a girl fresh out of art school. "Where's the Professor? He was supposed to contact me today."

"Professor Greenmore had to depart on a sudden trip, so he assigned me the responsibility. My name is Eric, just so you know."

"Well then, Eric, I'm pleased to inform you that I have located the site."

"You mean the one the Professor goes on and on about? The one that he claims might even predate the Olmec culture?"

"Indeed. I'm going in tomorrow to take a closer look. Hopefully, I'll find evidence to exonerate him. People will realize that he was right, that there was an ancient society of pagan mystics right under their noses."

"I look forward to hearing about your finds, Dr. Moone. Just be careful." And with that, he hung up.

After a couple of minutes to lock the door and check for anyone who might be listening, he pulled a second phone out of his bag and punched in a secure number.

"Get a message to Director Waller. We have found the site."


	2. X Marks the Spot

General Rafferty shifted uneasily in his chair. The room felt like a hundred degrees and everyone was nervous. Without Superman, how would the United States defend itself against metahuman terrorists? Or anyone with the means to cause the nation harm, for that matter?

Director Waller had called the meeting to discuss what she called the "solution", as stated in the briefing document laid before each seat. What this "solution" was, though, was not explained.

Suddenly, a large screen lit up with images of fire, destruction, and massive explosions. Rafferty recognized them as a recording of the battles of Metropolis and Gotham, taken just months before.

"This..is the world we live in now, ladies and gentlemen. A world where monsters and gods fight each other in our streets, laying waste to our cities, and with no regard for how many lives are lost as a result of their actions."

Director Waller turned to address the assembled room. "Superman protected us from the worst of it, at the cost of his life. Now we must confront a new and difficult question: how do we replace him? Soldiers with weapons are no match for beings capable of generating beams of energy from their eyes or flying headfirst through entire buildings."

One of the group spoke up. "Can you get to the point, Director?"

"Very well. As some of you are aware, we maintain a black site in Louisiana for criminals deemed too dangerous to be kept in the federal system. Many of these individuals possess metahuman powers."

"We need agents who can fight the enemy on their own terms. That is why I am directing ARGUS to establish Task Force X, a team made up entirely of said inmates."

General Rafferty felt compelled to add his thoughts. "Director, your idea is both reckless and untested. As soon as we let these freaks off their chains, they will turn against us and unleash God knows what havoc upon whichever innocent civilians get in their way. We will NOT be held accountable for your showboating adventurism!"

Waller gave a devilish smile. She had been expecting this question for some time now.

"Perhaps a live demonstration would help, General." Picking up her radio, she barked an order to the guards outside. "Bring in the doctor!"


	3. Are You Not Enchanted?

The door swung open and three people entered. Two were uniformed officers with fully loaded assault rifles at the ready. The third was a thin woman in a white shirt and tan blazer, her hair in a bun.

"This is one of our chosen agents, Dr. June Moone. Two weeks ago, she was taken into custody on suspicion of having engaged in the ritual murder of seven men in her London flat. We believe she is under the influence of a malevolent entity we've dubbed the "Enchantress". According to your briefings, the Enchantress is well over 6,000 years old and possesses potentially unlimited powers of sorcery. To keep her in check, Dr. Moone has been provided with a special necklace that limits how much control the Enchantress has over her mind."

Dr. Moone pulled down her collar to reveal a very old-looking necklace around her throat. In the center was a glowing green jewel.

"This is all good and well, Director, but it's still just speculation. So unless you have some actual proof-"

"I was just getting to that, General. If you would, Dr. Moone."

Placing one hand on the briefing table, Moone whispered the word "Enchantress". A shadowy hand gripped her arm and flipped it as she was enveloped by a dark cloud. Almost immediately, the cloud vanished. The woman standing there had Dr. Moone's face, framed by a veil of black hair, a body covered with strange tattoos, a garment that resembled a bikini made from black latex and chain mail, and an aura of death and darkness that made one participant cross herself in fear. Around the woman's neck was the same shining jewel Moone had just been wearing.

"I present to you, the Enchantress. For any of you who still doubt her power, why don't we let her give a...presentation of sorts."

The lights in the room began to flicker wildly. Cups of coffee rattled and started to spill over. The Enchantress's eyes, shimmering like two bright moons, blinked twice as she phased through the table like a phantom, before dropping something heavy next to General Rafferty.

It took every bit of his willpower to keep from bursting out in celebration. For right before him lay top-secret nuclear program files straight from the state archives of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The CIA had tried and failed no less than 30 times to retrieve the same information, while this "Enchantress" had snatched it up like a piece of candy.

Waller smirked. "Impressed, General?"

"Well, I'm-could you tell her to stop feeling me?"

Waller gave the Enchantress the same look an angry pet owner might give to their dog when it wouldn't come back in. "Change back now!"

The Enchantress complied, and in a few seconds, Dr. Moone was standing right by her side.

"Can I please leave?", she pleaded.

"You may, Doctor."


	4. The Visitor

At Belle Reve, the routine was always the same. Each day, a phalanx of guards led by Warden Rudy Griggs went around to check on their prisoners, taking care to "address" their individual problems. First on the list was Floyd Lawton, a.k.a. Deadshot, an assassin so lethal, he was never given anything he could weaponize.

Griggs pulled down the opening hatch to Lawton's cell. "Lunch!"

A sweaty hand reached through, barely missing Griggs's neck, and grabbed the small tray of food he offered. "What the hell is this?" came the inevitable reply.

"I believe it's called food. I put a little extra of the "good stuff" in, if you know what I mean. Should be everything a big boy like you needs to stay alive."

Before Lawton could scream his usual battery of curses and expletives, Griggs slammed the hatch shut.

His next guest was Harleen Quinzel, a.k.a. Harley Quinn, a known associate of Gotham's favorite anarchist/crime lord/all-around deviant, the Joker. Quinn was in the middle of her stretching exercises, held in the air by a length of rope suspended from the ceiling of her open-air cage, allowing guards to keep an eye on her at all times.

"Hya, Barbie.", Griggs taunted. He had quite a thing for Quinn, such as the time when he personally force-fed her through a tube after she bit the ears off the attendant trying to serve her dinner.

"Why won't you play with me, Rudy? I promise not to bite this time."

"Sorry, doll, but people like you don't get to have playtime. Fire it up!"

A 1,000-volt shock ran through the cage bars, knocking Quinn flat on her back. As Griggs and his men walked away laughing, Quinn threw an angry tissy-fit like a bleach-blonde baby.

The other prisoners on his rounds included Waylon Jones, a.k.a. Killer Croc, who was always fed through a hole built over his water-filled cell, and Chato Santana, a.k.a. El Diablo, who, despite being forced to live in a space only slightly bigger than a tanning bed, never raised his voice or made any threats towards the prison staff. Griggs would never admit it, but he considered Santana a model inmate, even if he was still a freak.

But that day, he was glad to get the usual business concluded. A message had come through that an important official and her entourage were arriving for a private tour of Belle Reve. Moments like these were the best opportunities to win favor with the higher-ups.

So in the few hours before the official's transport arrived, Griggs ordered the entire prison to be washed down and cleaned, while he made an effort to actually clean himself up with a shower and some quick shaving. As soon as heard the roar of the chopper, he came running outside.

"Welcome to Belle Reve, sir.", he addressed to the man walking off the chopper. From the look of his uniform, he was at least a colonel, maybe higher.

"If you want to kiss someone's ass, kiss her's."

Behind him stepped a black woman with a steely gaze that showed she meant business. "I want every prisoner in your custody turned over to me."


	5. Dead Eyes and Deader Souls

At Waller's insistence, Lawton was dragged from his cell in cuffs and taken to a small field outside, where a makeshift firing range had been established.

"Mr. Lawton, you've been selected for a special initiative. But before I approve you for field duty, I'll need you to pass a few tests."

Lawton gave no indication that he was ready to obey. Griggs motioned to one of his men, who put a pistol against the assassin's back.

"Lawton, if you do not follow orders, I will be more than happy to have you put down here and now. Pick up a gun and start shooting!"

The man standing next to Waller pointed to a table lined with guns of all shapes and sizes. "If you can score headshots on all these targets, I'll give you one free kill, no penalties. Does that sound fair?"

Before Griggs could object, Lawton nodded his head.

"Good. Then get started."

Selecting the closest handgun, he loaded and cocked it. Suddenly, he pointed it right at Griggs's face.

"How bout' I kill this fool here and now?"

"Put it down, Lawton!"

"Are those real bullets? You just gonna let him kill me?"

"Relax. Do you really think we would give live bullets to a convicted killer?"

"Why don't we find out?"

Lawton pointed the gun in the air and fired. A shot rang off the tin roof before ricocheting into the ground.

"You lost your damn minds? He could have killed me!"

"But he didn't. Now begin, Mr. Lawton, before I rescind my offer."

With that, he turned and fired another shot right between the eyes of the first target. A perfect bullseye.

He shot the other three in the exact manner, before reloading and firing again. When he ran out of bullets, he grabbed an assault rifle and resuming shooting. Eventually, all four targets had bright, glowing holes where each round had hit its mark.

"I think he's ready. Welcome to the program, Mr. Lawton."


	6. The Squad's All Here

Over the next few hours, a lengthy process unfolded. It began in the morning, with small battalions of guards lining up outside the cells of each of the four inmates. The first to go was Quinn, who had to be tasered after she snapped the neck of the lead officer. Then it was Lawton, who was quickly beaten down with nightsticks and riot shields. Jones managed to bite through the necks of two men before taking a tranquilizer dart to the back, and Santana was literally flushed out of his containment unit with water.

Strapped into wheelchairs and guarded by armored men, the four were taken to the prison infirmary, where doctors stood ready with needles in their hands. With little resistance, they were all given injections and wheeled out to the courtyard. Hundreds of soldiers with no identifying insignia were walking around, checking their weapons, chatting, and generally looking ready for a fight.

A man with a rifle slung around his chest approached and gestured for the four to be released. "Welcome to Task Force X. My name is Colonel Rick Flag, and I will be your commanding officer. You will obey me at all times, and if you refuse, try to escape, or piss me off enough, I will execute you with the micro-explosive planted against your spine. Any questions? No? Then allow me to introduce your new teammates."

Two guards walked up with a large bodybag in their arms, which they promptly threw to the ground. The bag began wriggling, and when it was opened, a bearded man jumped out and punched the nearest soldier in the face before he was subdued.

"Meet Digger Harkness, a.k.a. Captain Boomerang. He's the most wanted thief on Earth, and we're very happy to have him join our little crew. Like you, he has an injection, which will hopefully convince him to keep his mouth shut. We can only hope, right?"

Two women followed not long after. "These two are Katana and Dr. June Moone. Katana here is an enforcer of sorts. Her one and only job is protect me from you. If she thinks my life is in danger, she has my full permission to cut you lot down like weeds in a field. Did I mention her sword traps the souls of those it kills?"

"Dr. Moone is one of Director Waller's advisors. She'll be evaluating your performance in the field. If you prove yourself to be useless, the Director will see to it that you are returned to the rathole you crawled out of. Is this understood?"

"Just so you know, I'm very irritating. It's not really something I can control-"

"Quinn, shut your hole! Get your stuff and get ready to leave in six."


	7. Flag's Plan

Each member of Task Force X was given a sealed case containing the clothes and items they had possessed when they were taken to Belle Reve. Only Santana seemed reluctant to ditch his jumpsuit for the gang jacket he had renounced.

"Is there a problem, Satana?", Flag asked.

"I'm a man of peace now, _hombre._ I don't do this kind of thing no more."

"You think I give a crap? You will do as I say, unless you'd rather die right now."

Before things got any more heated, Katana called Flag over. Apparently, Moone was being difficult.

"Rick, I never wanted any part of this, this lunacy! What if I lose control in the field?"

"You won't, honey. I promise. As long as you've got that necklace, she can't hurt anyone."

"If you want to promise me anything, promise me this: If I can't hold back the Enchantress, you have to kill me. It's the only way to stop her for good."

"It won't come to that, June. Katana won't let anything happen."

His worries somewhat calmed, Flag assembled the team, who were now fully dressed and armed.

"Listen up! Under my leadership, you will undertake various missions, each of which will be very dangerous and life-threatening. Should you survive, you will be automatically eligible for a reduction in your sentence. Should you fail, you will die and no one will care. You are not acting in the name of the United States and will not receive any help or assistance if you are captured or wounded. I am not your friend, and will not tolerate disobedience or insubordination. Above all, you are expendable, and I have absolutely no problem sacrificing your pitiful lives if necessary."

Lawton spoke up. "So that makes us, what, some kind of suicide squad?"

"Exactly. For your first mission, you are being sent to Midway City. A terrorist group known as the Kasnian Army of Liberation has taken over the commercial district, and a very important asset is at risk. We are to rescue this individual and extract them. If the enemy interferes, we will respond with lethal force."


	8. Just Joking

Most criminals in Gotham thought of the Joker as two things: One, a good man to do business with, since he had a hand in just about every racket and ring in town. Two, a killer with no remorse who frequently gunned down his own partners, shot his own men in the back for fun, and liked giving bombs and poison as gifts. That meant every interaction with him was a 50/50 chance of survival. Still, it wasn't something on Warden Griggs's mind when he received an anonymous package of hundred-dollar bills. That night, he went to the local gambling den to try his luck at poker. He had just lost his last hand when two thugs in sunglasses dragged him to a back room. The owner, a man in a flowered shirt and fedora, was just finishing a call.

"Look, man, if this is about the money, I'm just having a little bad luck. Give me another chance, and I will win back double what I lost."

"That money's not mine. It belongs to a friend. He'll be here soon for a little chat."

Before long, a man in a gray suit and black tie entered the room. Griggs looked at him warily.

"You the fella I owe?"

He felt a pair of hands going up his back. "That'd be me."

The Joker, his ghoulish smile front and center as always, sat himself right in front of Griggs. "I'm told you're a man of excess, like me. You like playing for money, girls, drugs, and all the finer things, am I right?"

Griggs tried hard not to show his fear. "That'd be correct, Mr. Joker."

"Just Joker will be fine, my friend. Now, if my man on the inside is telling the truth, you have one Ms. Harley Quinn in your fine establishment. I want you to release her, and in return, I will forgive the very large debt you now owe me."

"Miss Quinn isn't in my, uh, institution, Joker. Some suits took her for some kind of secret program. I swear, I can't help you."

"Oh, Mr. Griggs, you know much more than you're telling me. But it doesn't matter. Because I really just want to show you my toys."


	9. Bullet to The Head

As the two chopper convoy made its way towards Midway City, most of the Squad spent their time in absolute silence. Even the usually bubbly Quinn kept quiet. Lawton couldn't help but stare at Flag and Moone. Something deep inside him said they were involved, that she might be his best hope for escape. Sure, the ninja Flag kept on retainer might be a problem, but if there was one thing Lawton was good at, it was fighting at a distance. She wouldn't be a problem...

"Mayday, Mayday! We are under attack!"

A round of bullets went through the cockpit, killing the pilots in the forward chopper and sending it down in flames. Flag took control and ordered the other chopper to land at once.

"We are hitting the ground right now! Move out!"

As the Squad and a unit of ARGUS officers exited the chopper, they began to notice just how quiet and deserted the city was. Every electronic sign flashed "EVACUATION IN PROGRESS", cars were abandoned up and down the streets, and the occasional bloodstain made it clear that something, something had happened.

Recognizing his chance, Lawton began closing in on Moone, who was behind no less than five soldiers. He started calculating how he would outmaneuver the troops, grab the girl from behind, and hold her hostage until Flag let him escape. But just then, Flag held up his hand and the whole party stopped.

"Flag to Command, I'm seeing a whole lot of hostiles up ahead, need a full count."

"Roger that. At least 40 to 60 insurgents are present, wearing full body armor and carrying plasma coated full-jacket machine guns."

"How the hell did they get their hands on that kind of technology? They'll cut us down in seconds."

"Recommend you do not engage. Fall back to the extraction point and await the chopper."

The Squad members looked nervous. They were ready to cut and run if they had to.

Peering through his eye-mounted targeting device, Lawton turned to Flag. "You have a plan? Cause' we be a whole bunch of dead patsies if you don't have a plan."


	10. Baptism by Fire

In his head, Rick Flag was trying to work out a plan. He could follow orders and head back to the extraction point, which would be the logical choice. But doing so would mean he might have to kill the entire Squad to keep them from escaping. And if things went south, as he suspected, he would need all the help he could get.

Then again, getting in a fight might be worse. The Kasnians easily outgunned his own men, and while the Squad could provide a distraction or covering fire, he couldn't force them to fight, since using the explosives would be tantamount to throwing away his only advantage over the enemy.

Yet, even as he struggled to figure out what to do, one of the Kasnians had spotted Lawton and begun to raise the alarm. Suddenly, several men were cut down by a hail of bullets as the rest took cover.

"Contact! Weapons free!"

Joined by Lawton and Quinn, Flag and his unit poured every round they had into the opposition. The Kasnians sustained heavy causalities, but soon started to advance, their elite vanguard using chainguns to pin down the soldiers. Just as it seemed they were about to be overrun, Lawton jumped on top of a pile of cars and fired a series of precise shots that that went right through their heads. Encouraged, the Squad rushed forward and massacred the survivors. Limbs went flying, blood gushed like a river, and the air became heavy with the smell of exposed corpses.

Moone covered her eyes in disgust and even Flag himself felt nauseous as he looked over the carnage the Squad had wrought. _Waller was right. These people are more deadly than anything in the U.S. Army. They didn't try to run; hell, they enjoyed themselves!_

"Command to Flag. The asset has been tracked to a department store near your location. Secure them and prepare for extraction at the rooftop."

As the Squad led the way, followed by the stunned/horrified faces of the ARGUS agents, Flag could only pray that he would last another few hours with these psychos.


	11. A Broken Vow

Taking up their positions outside the store, Flag and his unit waited for Lawton and the Squad to press forward before filing in. Upon entry, the Squad split up, with Quinn taking an elevator to the extraction point while the others ran to catch up with her.

As she checked her magnum, Quinn heard her phone buzz. It was a message from the Joker: "Be ready sweet thing I am coming."

Just then, two Kasnians burst through the glass and attacked her. Quinn managed to shoot one and beat the other to death with her bat just as the door opened. She confidentially strode out as everyone else just looked at each other with puzzled expressions.

As soon as the shock worn off, they followed only to be confronted by a whole horde of Kasnians wielding submachine guns, turrets, semi-automatic pistols, and rifles as they used everything they had to keep the Squad from proceeding. Unable to get a good angle for his targeter, Lawton angrily walked over to Santana.

"I don't see you doing a damn thing, skullface bitch!"

"This ain't my fight!"

"Oh, this ain't your fight? How bout' I make it your fight, huh?"

"Get off me, man! Don't make me hurt you!

"You gonna hurt me? Thought you said you wouldn't do no such thing!"

"You want to see me do something?"

"Yeah, I want to see you do something!"

Summoning all of his power, Santana unleashed what could only be described as five bombers' worth of napalm being ignited with a single flamethrower. In mere seconds, every last one of the Kasnians was nothing but a pile of ashes.

Lawton caught Santana's gaze as he slowly let the flames die out. "It was nothing personal, but you needed to get your shit together."

With that, the Squad moved to the asset's location, in a nearby office suite. Flag held up his hand once again. "Everyone stay here while I secure the asset."


	12. Wall-to-Waller

Checking to make sure no one was following him, Flag swept the wall for a faint impression of a switch. As soon as he felt it, he pushed it.

Behind the false wall, Amanda Waller and her team were busy wiping hard drives and smashing their computers. Anything the Kasnians could find had to be destroyed.

"You did it, Director. Your little Squad pulled it off."

"I knew they would, Colonel. Now get me the hell out of here."

Flag around only to find Lawton standing by the staircase. "This is the asset? The boss lady? This is too rich."

"I told you to stay put."

Just then, Waller pulled a gun and shot all four of her analysts dead. "They knew too much. It had to be done."

"That lady is scary."

"Trust me, you'll get used to it."

The Squad members looked shocked and angry as soon as they realized Waller was the one they'd risked their lives to save. Even Moone, who had worked alongside Waller for much longer than any of them, had an expression of pure fury.

"Before any of you acts on what you're all thinking, let me remind you of the explosives loaded into your heads. One push of a button, and I still walk out of here, albeit with some minor blood stains on my shoes. Flag, get me to the roof."

"Yes, Director."

They proceeded to the roof, where Flag's unit had already cleared the landing zone. "This is Alpha Squad to Helo 3. I repeat, this is Alpha Squad to Helo 3. You are clear to extract the Director."

As Helo 3 began its descent, Flag noticed something heavy being moved to the rear. _The flash of a barrel!_

"Get down!"

A burst of gunfire went right through two members of Alpha Squad. A flurry of guns followed, taking down any fool foolish enough to stick his head up.

Maniacal laughter pierced the air as a man in a tuxedo waved gleefully at the Squad. "Honey, I'm home!"

"Puddin? PUDDIN!"


	13. Short but Necessary

The Joker couldn't be happier. His beloved Harley Quinn was waiting for him, and thanks to the good people at Wayne Enterprises, the nasty little bomb those suits had put in her was useless.

"Come to me, Harley!"

As soon as she spotted Quinn making a run for it, Waller tried to activate her implant. But something had already fried it and the detonation code failed.

In desperation, she turned to Lawton. "Mr. Lawton, I will authorize a payment of $3 million to the account of your choosing if you kill Ms. Quinn."

As an assassin, Lawton had to accept her offer. Taking aim at Quinn, who was still just scrambling up the chopper's rope ladder, he pulled the trigger. Quinn's body went limp, then sprung back to life.

"I missed. Keep your money."

Now enraged, Waller grabbed Flag's radio. "This is the Director. I want Helo 3 disabled now. Bring that bird down!"

A nearby unit began firing rockets at Helo 3. One managed to hit the chopper near its rotor, causing the whole thing to come crashing down. Quinn, who had been standing too close to the rear, fell out and landed safely on a roof, while Joker and his men seemingly perished when Helo 3 exploded.

Her vendetta satisfied, Waller prepared to board another chopper for the long flight back to Washington. "Colonel Flag, take your team back to Belle Reve. As of now, they are suspended until their actions can be sufficiently judged."


	14. Bar Talk

As they waited for the long, slow ride back to hell, the Squad took over a small bar for drinks. The only person not allowed inside was Flag, since no one trusted him at this point.

"What'll you all be having?"

"Beer."

"Whiskey."

"Liquor."

"What am I, twelve?"

"Any cocktail."

"What about you?"

"Water."

"That's a good idea, honey."

"Here's to honor among thieves."

"Not a thief."

"Oh, okay. She's not a thief."

"But we almost pulled it off."

"Yeah, and the worst part is we're gonna take the fall. They're gonna blame the whole thing on us. Don't forget, we're the _bad guys._

Moone gripped her glass. "What if you didn't have to?"

"Honey, we appreciate you, but this is our business. You've got nothing to lose."

"What if I told you the real reason why Waller assigned me to your team? It certainly wasn't to "monitor your progress"."

"We're listening."

"Truth is, I'm supposed to be the last resort, should all of you die in action."

"How does that work?"

"See this necklace? It gives me control of a power that could destroy the world as we know it."

"And that means?"

"We can expose the Squad to the outside world. Waller will be forced to admit she coerced you against your will and then tried to blame you for her mistakes. You won't have to die."

"Yeah, unless she kills us first. You forgetting about those little micro-thingies we got in our heads?"

"Not anymore." Flag had been quietly listening from the door.

"We don't want you here, jarhead."

"I know. But June's right. If we make the American people aware of what that witch put you through, you'll have your revenge."

"I'm gonna repeat myself once last time. How in the HELL are we gonna find Waller?"

"Simple. Here's what we'll do..."


	15. Something Most Disturbing

From her private office, Waller was holding an important videoconference with her superiors in the White House.

"Director Waller, are you saying that Task Force X was in league with the Kasnian Army of Liberation?"

"My office has a recording of a conversation between one of their field operatives and Floyd Lawton, a member of the force. It's clear that he and his fellow inmates intended to betray Colonel Flag and lead the enemy to our outpost in Midway City. In return, they would be given their freedom and enough money to leave the country and resume their lives of crime."

"But this makes no sense! Surely you could have controlled them with the micro-implants?!"

"That's what I thought. But a few hours ago, I learned that the criminal mastermind known as the Joker abducted Dr. Silver, who created the implant, and forced him to disclose the deactivation protocols. Whether or not this was done on behalf of the terrorists is unknown, but the fact is I no longer had any leverage over them."

"You assured us these lunatics could be useful. Instead, they compromised our national security and endangered the lives of American military personnel with reckless abandon. Director Waller, you will be held to account for your decisions, but right now your priority is putting these animals down."

"Relax, General. I've ordered them to return to Belle Reve. The guards there have orders to ambush the transport chopper as soon as it lands."

"What about Flag?"

"He understood the risks."

"Very well. Do whatever you feel is necessary."

Shutting off the projector, Waller leaned back in her chair and folded her hands. She could deal with the politicians, the generals, and the secretaries. As long as there was no trail leading back to her, they would never be able to prove that the whole mess was her doing. Task Force X had proven to be a failure, but there were plenty of alternatives with much greater potential-

Suddenly, her desk intercom rang. "Message from Colonel Flag."

"Waller, if you're listening, I'm out. I don't care if this means throwing away my career or even going to prison, I'm not ruining my life as one of your fucked-up guinea pigs."

 _That arrogant prick,_ she thought. _He has quite some nerve thinking he can disobey me. Pity it won't matter much longer._

A knock on the door shook her from her thought. "Come in!"

A kid in a plaid shirt, his lanyard strung around his neck loosely, entered and deposited a package on the desk before walking out and shutting the door.

Waller felt tempted to throw it in the trash, but she eventually cut open the side. The package contained only one thing: a necklace with a green jewel in the center.

 _Moone!_


	16. Bad Moone Rising

Waller pushed the emergency button under her desk. "I need security here NOW!"

But even after three pushes, there was no response. Suddenly, black smoke began to seep beneath the office door.

Waller retrieved the sidearm in her left-hand drawer and hid under her desk.

For a few brief moments, nothing happened. Then the smoke started pooling into large puddles, from which hands stained with patches of black started to emerge.

Waller shot the nearest ones, and tried to run for the door, but it was no longer there. The entire room was but a black, empty void.

"Save your mind games for someone who cares, bitch!"

"As you wish." Waller could feel someone standing behind her and reflexively fired a shot before taking a look.

It was Dr. Moone, a single bullet hole in her jacket. But there was no blood...

Suddenly, Moone got up, as though the bullet had simply passed through her. The look on her face turned from shocked to almost joyful.

"Let's do something fun, Waller."

Waller fired what was left of her ammunition, but Moone raised her finger and the rounds disintegrated into dust.

Strange creatures, their bodies covered with what appeared to be tiny blobs, crawled from the shadows and surrounded Waller, dragging her before Moone.

"You've done some very bad things, Director. As a doctor, let me help you...deal with them."

"You're a fucking archeologist-Waller failed to finish her sentence before a wave of dark goo came flowing over her and Moone. When things became clear again, they were standing atop an ancient altar, miles above the ground. Moone was now dressed in the garb of a high priestess, a small idol in her left hand.

"Do you know where we are, Waller? This was once the heart of a civilization that existed at the dawn of time. They worshipped a moon goddess, who in turn gave them power over nature and the elements. But when they turned against her, she was sealed forever within this idol. Until I freed her and allowed her to inhabit my body. Now, she and I are of one mind. And we have decided that you must be punished for your acts."

"How is this possible? Without the necklace, you could never maintain this level of control."

"True, I had to sacrifice some of my free will and intelligence to replace what the necklace provided. But it was worth it. What you did to the Squad, to my friends, is no different than what the ancients did to the Enchantress. They used her until she became too powerful, and then they betrayed her."

"What are you going to do?"

"Consider it a taste of your own medicine. I'm going to seal you within the idol and bury it in the same spot where I found it. In 6,000 years, perhaps someone will find it and release you, assuming the world still exists."

"No! This was not supposed to happen! Task Force X is responsible, not me!"

Moone simply laughed and placed her hands upon Waller's face. Suddenly, everything went black.


	17. What Begins Must End

Flag and Lawton entered Waller's office, weapons loaded and ready. The rest of the Squad followed, having dealt with the guards outside.

A large, black stain covered the carpet where Waller had vanished. A small stone idol lay nearby.

Then something came into focus. A black statue matching the exact outlines of Moone and Waller. One was standing, and its hands were on the face of the other, who was kneeling.

Flag poked the statue of Moone, and it crumbled into nothing. Lawton gave him a sad look. "I'm sorry, man, but she's gone."

As they turned away, the second statue started to move. Its hands tore away the outer shell, revealing a naked girl covered in black sludge.

"June!" Flag scooped her up in his arms. Quinn went through Waller's closet and managed to find a spare blazer to cover her. "Here you go, honey."

"Well now what? What are we gonna do?"

Flag spoke up. "I think our best bet is to go private and not reveal ourselves. The government thinks we're dead, and we should keep it that way. To them, the "Suicide Squad" will be a group of experienced, unidentified individuals willing to undertake any mission, no matter how dangerous. Once we make enough cash, we can separate and return to whatever lives we had before this whole mess started."

"Sounds about right. Let's get the hell out of here."

As the group departed, a man dressed as a bat peered through his binoculars. Next to him was a stack of files titled "TASK FORCE X AS AUTHORIZED BY ARGUS DIRECTOR AMANDA WALLER."

END OF RECORD


End file.
